Small Thoughts in a Big World

www.scottprater.com

2009-10-27T13:21:00.001-05:00

I will be posting my blog (for a simpler address) from today on to www.scottprater.com
Today's blog is there already...

Bookmark the new address so you'll be ready each weekday! Leave me some comments! Hope our journey together continues past this domain change!

More soon at WWW.SCOTTPRATER.COM!

Look Up!

2009-10-27T09:28:00.002-05:00

What a great verse for finding hope and living on the upside...Romans 5:9..."And since we have been made right in God's sight by the blood of Christ, he will certainly save us from God's condemnation."

We have been made right. Justified. Not by our own works but by His blood!

Strive for the goal of being more like His son, Jesus Christ, everyday. But don't let failures and omissions sink you. Repent! Move forward! He knows our heart and motives and loves us in spite of ourselves! Because He IS love...

Walk with your head up! Or you won't be able to see where He is leading you and who He is sending your way. A head always hung down in shame never sees the sunrise. Look up for you are redeemed and loved!

Don't live defeated!

2009-10-26T12:41:00.000-05:00

Too many Christians, myself included, sometimes live like we have forgotten that God has redeemed us! We live like He is making small changes to the way we once were. He isn't making small changes in how we once were, He has made us NEW! We should live like we are a new creation. We aren't beaten down and chained to the old way of a sinful life. We are walking in His victory.

Do we still sin? Yes, but that isn't our desire. That isn't acceptable to us. You see, for a person who is lost without Christ, sin is NATURAL. It is living however we want without thought for the outcome. Sure, there might be some moral issues with some behaviors and attitudes but not a strong spiritual desire to avoid sin. So we do need to remember that we WILL be convicted in our spirit over sin. That is a good thing! It means the Holy Spirit is still directing and speaking to us. It means God is reminding us we are His and He has a better way!

We shouldn't see ourselves as dirt with no redeemed value! We are HIS! We are OVERCOMERS! He has plans for us with hope and a future! His blood covers our sins and is our righteousness!

Our worth and righteousness isn't based on WHO WE ARE but WHOSE WE ARE! Scripturally...

What We Were!
1. Unworthy - Isaiah 64:6
2. Deceitful - Jeremiah 17:9
3. Sinful - Romans 3:23

What God Did!
1. Saw Our Need - Romans 5:8
2. Made Us NEW!! - John 3:16 (Born Again!)
3. Made Us from Imperishable Seed - 1 Peter 1:23
4. Put Away the Old - Ephesians 4:21-24; 2 Corinthians 5:17

What We Are Now!
1. His Workmanship - Ephesians 2:10
2. Overcomers - 1 John 5:4-5
3. His Children - John 1:12
4. Bought - 1 Corinthians 6:19-20

Romans 8:1 says, "There is now therefore no condemnation for those that are in Christ Jesus!"

Live like you expect VICTORY today in your life! Not because of WHO you are but WHOSE you are!

LEAVE ME SOME COMMENTS....

We need each other...

2009-10-23T05:00:00.001-05:00

The verse I'm using today is from Proverbs 27:9, and says, "The heartfelt counsel of a friend is as sweet as perfume and incense."

When you do have that special friend that truly wants the best for you, you welcome their input. You know because of their prior actions and life of worship that they are prayerfully and genuinely offering counsel without a thought for what it could mean for them.

Isn't it a great feeling when you know you are on the right track? It is an even greater feeling when you realize that you aren't alone on that path. God does put people into your life that will sharpen you and add focus to your life. When you walk hand in hand (or "in the same direction" for all you guys that just felt weird about that statement) with a friend who loves Jesus like you do and seeks to follow Him no matter the cost, it gives you strength and courage.

We need each other to confidently and courageously face each day. When you live to be victorious and not just to get by, it changes how you face everything. And the heartfelt counsel of a godly friend makes the road even easier to walk.

Can you share a time when your friend's counsel kept you focused and helped restore peace to your life?

You are what you ... hang out with?

2009-10-22T06:00:00.002-05:00

The verse for today (actually yesterday's verse from Air1.com) was Proverbs 22:24, "Don't befriend angry people or associate with hot-tempered people."

We should always be reaching out to others, regardless of their personality quirks. But you know as well as I do that when you constantly hang out with negative people you can quickly become one. You can move from seeing the glass as half full, to seeing the glass as half empty, to being mad that someone gave you a glass that isn't full anyway!

Angry and hot-tempered people definitely don't need to be the influencers in our lives. It is hard to be objective when you start off in every situation thinking you are being treated unfairly, or you look for issues that could be let go but you just have to "bring it to someone's attention", or you always know that you could and probably should be doing the job or task because you could do it better!

Keep your cool. God can use those who are willing to put themselves second. It is His truth that we fight for!

Smile at someone today...and mean it!

The Artful Dodger

2009-10-21T11:03:00.002-05:00

The verse for today (actually yesterday's verse from Air1.com) was Proverbs 14:7 from the NLT: "Stay away from fools for you won't find any knowledge on their lips."

Where does most of your life advice and leadership come from? Be careful that God, through prayer and study, is your first influencer! His ways are always right!

When you seek advice from others...make sure of at least these three things:

1. The person giving you advice is a praying, serving, and seeking follower of Christ!

2. They are genuinely concerned for your future because they have invested their life in yours.

3. They will celebrate the good times and successes with you, as well as, encourage and support you through the tough times. We all know life brings much of both!

When the ground you're planted in seems rocky and the nourishment you need seems hard to find, remember, the rocks and hard lumps in your life make the roots run deeper. The deeper the roots - the stronger you are.